The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-03
THE MAN WHO DRINKS,

OF drunkenness as a moral and physical
crime nothing new can be said, but some of
the phenomena of a psychological and social
nature have received but slight attention from
professional advocates of temperance. One
of these is the delusion cherished by the young
man who is just entering upon a downward
career that no one among his respectable ac
ousintances is aware Of his indulgence in in
toxicants. Regardless of the fact that he
himself can instantly detect the signs of such
weakness in others, and cannot be deceived,
The goes on his way feeling sure that he effect
ually conceals all traces of his own intemper-
ance from those whom he would prefer to keep
in ignorance. The aged and experienced to-
per realizes that concealment of this sort is
impossible, and frankly acknowledges his con-
dition, while the younger brother fatters
himself, even in his sober moments, that
his secret is safe. Another popularity,
or, perhaps, it should be called another phase
of the first, is the drinkers failure to COM
prehend that he makes q nuisance Of himself
whenever he inficts his society upon decent
people. In the drunkard of long standing
disregard of the feelings and comfort of others
is the natural result of the selfshness inevita-
bly, engendered by whisky; but in the less
hardened and hopeless sinner certain pride
and self-respect exists and fingers long, and
the gentlemanly disposition to be agreeable
manifests itself in every particular but this.
Knowing how unfit for companionship are
other men who have been drinking mod
erately"-they all drink moderately-and hav-
ing still the instinct to please, he neverthe-
less, enters public conveyances, frequents
public gatherings, and thrusts himself
amongst his friends in serene Inconsistencies,
apparently, that his presence is an offense. It
would be interesting to know on what theory
this delusion is based. Far better would it be
for himself and for those forced to associate
with him if this self-deception were destroyed
early in his career, and that he were taught
before the knowledge came too late that where
whisky is used a beverage the fact
can never be hidden. 1t requires no very
keen perception to detect the man who is ad-
dicted even to an occasional glass as ''necss-
u
trayal of the indulgence the fumes of his
breath are quite sufficient, a very small por-
ton Of alcoholic liquor being enough to render
the partaker obnoxious to those Of fastidious
taste. As to the moderate drinker," his
breath is like that of pestilence and he is
literally a stencil to the nostrils. This state
ment is one that he may not relish; but 1acts
are facts, and it is sometimes well to put
them in plain language There are other
signs, however, equally impossible tc disguise,
and the chief among thcm is the absolute ina
bility of the drinker to refrain from making
a fool OF himself. He may not be so far I'M
der the influence Of his favorite beverage
to be what is commonly called drunk" but
under very moderate degree of stimulation
he departs from the usual tenor of his
way to be witty or wise, and calls at
tention to himself by his dismal failure to ac-
complish his aim. In addition TO the knowledge